Rattlers

Arizona Rattlers to work on improving defense

After two games, the Rattlers are second in scoring in the Arena Football League and second in the coaches' poll.

The Rattlers (1-1), which opened the season with a 71-70 overtime loss at No. 1-ranked San Jose (1-0), has not practiced since Saturday's home-opening 71-65 win over the Milwaukee Mustangs. Their next game is Thursday at the Kansas City Command (0-1).

Bright and early Sunday morning, the Rattlers will go back to work with the emphasis on defense, coach Kevin Guy said.

"Sunday morning, we'll have a sunrise service to get this fixed," Guy said.

The Rattlers came into the season excited about their defense after returning the nucleus of last year's team that led the league in take-aways and added with the trade for Cliff Dukes, who had 12 1/2 sacks for the Tampa Bay Storm last season. But after two games, they had only forced two turnovers and had only one sack.

They are last in pass defense, and 15{+t}{+h} out of 17 teams in scoring defense.

Quarterbacks are wasting no time getting the ball out to receivers with quick, three-step drops.

"Teams are going to attack us that way," Guy said. "It's going to be hard to block us. But we need to be more physical as a defense. Our kickoff team needs to be more physical. I will say I thought our pass rush did good when we had them in five-step situations. But for the most part we're facing three-steps. That means we'll have to adjust in the secondary and make them have to throw the ball down the field."

Stops have been scarce.

Da'Mon Merkerson has the Rattlers' only interception, and Anttaj Hawthorne their only sack. They came in the second half of the Milwaukee game.

"Our goal is five (stops a game)," Guy said. "We've not lived up close to that. It starts with me. I'm not doing a good job communicating to my assistant coaches. But the message is clear. Some guys need to step up and play better. That's the bottom line. But again that falls on my desk."

The Rattlers' offense, led by quarterback Nick Davila and wide receiver Maurice Purify, has been stopped only twice -- one on an interception and another on a fumble.

Davila leads the league with 711 passing yards and 15 touchdown passes. Purify, obtained in free agency from the Georgia Force where he was the league's Rookie of the Year last season, is tied for a league-most seven TD catches. He has 20 receptions for 275 yards.

"From an offensive standpoint, I think we've made improvements (over last year)," Guy said. "We're efficient. But we need to get better in terms of protecting the football."